Overview and Updates on the BioPreferred Program Jeff Goodman Chief, Environmental Management Division / USDA Steve Devlin Industrial Specialist / Iowa State University

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Overview and Updates on the BioPreferred
Program Jeff GoodmanChief, Environmental
Management Division / USDASteve
DevlinIndustrial Specialist / Iowa State
University

• 2009 GSA International Products and Services Expo

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Discussion Topics

• Overview of BioPreferred Program
• USDAs Role
• Program Updates
• Designated Items
• Labeling Program
• BioPreferred Tools
• Implementation
• Future Events

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What is BioPreferred?

• USDA brand name for Biobased Markets Program
  established in Farm Bill
• Identifies and seeks to establish new markets for
  biobased products
• Two major program elements
• Federal procurement preference program requires
  Federal agencies and contractors to purchase
  qualifying products
• Voluntary labeling program will allow product
  vendors to use a USDA logo to identify qualifying
  products

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What is a Biobased Product?

• Biobased products are those the Secretary of
  Agriculture determines to be composed in whole or
  large part of renewable agricultural or forestry
  materials.
• Biobased products can include plant, animal, and
  marine materials.

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Why Promote Biobased Products?

• Climate Change Impact ReductionQualifying
  biobased products reduce the introduction of new
  fossil carbon into the atmosphere.
• Energy/Environmental SecurityBiobased products
  replace petroleum products helping to increase
  U.S. energy and environmental security and
  independence. Many biobased products are
  sustainable, renewable and compostable.
• Economic DevelopmentBiobased products create
  jobs by increasing demand for agricultural and
  forestry materials and by increasing new product
  development, manufacturing and ultimately sales.

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Program Authorities

• Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002
  (2002 Farm Bill)
• Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008
  Farm Bill)
• Energy Policy Act of 2005 - Sections 205 and 943
• Executive Order 13423 - January 24, 2007
• FAR Updated - November 7, 2008

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2008 Farm Bill

• Updates definition of biobased product
• Permits designation of intermediate ingredients
  and feedstocks (IIF)
• Permits labeling of IIF and complex products
• Directs USDA to establish national registry of
  testing centers
• Specifies detailed reporting requirements
• Requires management plan

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BioPreferred's High Profile

• Significant discussion topic during Secretary
  Vilsack's Senate confirmation hearing
• USDA letter to all Cabinet Heads
• Senator Harkin plans to call each Cabinet level
  department to testify to the Senate Agriculture
  Committee on its implementation progress

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Federal Procurement Preference

• One year following designation of biobased items
  in the Federal Register, Federal departments and
  agencies must give a procurement preference to
  designated items composed of biobased products
  unless those items
• Are not reasonably available
• Do not perform adequately, or
• Are not reasonably priced

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USDAs Role in Federal Procurement Preference
Program

• Establish Guidelines (published January 11, 2005)
• Designate BioPreferred items - or generic
  groupings of biobased products that receive
  procurement preference
• Establish BioPreferred model procurement program

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Designated Items

• 33 items have been designated
• As of May 2009, Federal procurement preference is
  in place for all 33 items
• Over 3,700 products represented
• Many products that can be used in
• Construction
• Cafeteria/Food Service
• Custodial Services
• Vehicle Maintenance
• Operations and Maintenance

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Designated Items (contd).
BioPreferred Tools
Construction Operations/Maintenance
Water Tank Coatings Penetrating Lubricants
Diesel Fuel Additives General Purpose De-icers
Hydraulic Fluids Hand Cleaners Sanitizers
Roof Coatings Adhesive Mastic Removers
Carpets Fluid Filled Transformers
Plastic Insulating Foam Construction 2-Cycle Engine Oils
Composite Panels Fertilizers
Wood and Concrete Sealers Sorbents
Greases
Metalworking Fluids

• Sample Contract Language
• Training Materials
• Technical Fact Sheets
• Life Cycle Assessment Overview
• Designation Process
• How to Do BioPreferred Business

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Designated Items (contd.)
BioPreferred Tools
Janitorial Miscellaneous
Concrete and Asphalt Release Fluids Bedding, Bed Linens and Towels
Floor Strippers Disposable Cutlery
Films Disposable Containers
Stationary Equipment Hydraulic Fluid Firearm Lubricants
Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners Bathroom and Spa Cleaners
Glass Cleaners Laundry Products
Graffiti Grease Removers Lip Care Products
Dust Suppressants

• Sample Contract Language
• Training Materials
• Technical Fact Sheets
• Life Cycle Assessment Overview
• Designation Process
• How to Do BioPreferred Business

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Round 5 Proposed Items
BioPreferred Tools

• Round 5 regulation proposed in October 2008
• No public comments received
• USDA hopes to publish final rule this summer
• Items include

• Sample Contract Language
• Training Materials
• Technical Fact Sheets
• Life Cycle Assessment Overview
• Designation Process
• How to Do BioPreferred Business

Operations/ Maintenance Janitorial Miscellaneous
Chain and Cable Lubricants Industrial Cleaners Food Cleaners
Corrosion Preventatives Multipurpose Cleaners General Purpose Household Cleaners
Forming Lubricants
Gear Lubricants
Parts Wash Solution
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Labeling Program

• Voluntary labelingprogram will allowproduct
  vendors to usea USDA logo to identifyqualifying
  products.
• Proposed rule underOMB review.
• USDA plans to issue proposed rule this summer.
• USDA also plans to conduct market research on
  label this summer/fall.

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BioPreferred Tools

• General awareness/outreach materials
• Fact sheet/brochure
• BioPreferred exhibit/booth
• Web site
• Online biobased basics course
• Technical aspects of biobased products
• Designated item fact sheets (ex vehicles and
  maintenance)
• Life-cycle performance information sheet

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BioPreferred Tools Web site
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Web site Short-term Fix-up

• www.biopreferred.gov
• The new things you can benefit from right away
• Improved look and feel
• Streamlined Home Page
• Catalog of BioPreferred products is front and
  center
• Improved navigation
• Updated content (policies and regulations,
  training, contract language, etc.)

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Web site Coming Soon

• In the near future, we hope to give you an even
  better experience on our site.
• The following changes will become available soon
• Faster loading catalog
• Greatly expanded search function in the catalog
• More flexible catalog with options to compare
  products
• Improved product information, including hot links
  to product vendors Web site
• A community portal for exchange of information
  among users
• And whatever we (or you) can think of. Please
  send your suggestions to biopreferred_at_usda.gov.

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BioPreferred Tools (cont'd.)

• Sales (for vendors/manufacturers)
• Item designation process
• How to do BioPreferred business guide
• BioPreferred product catalog
• Procurement
• Online and classroom trainings on program
  implementation
• Purchase card fact sheets
• Contract templates
• Seller/buyer matchmaking assistance

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BioPreferred Tools (cont'd.)

• BioPreferred resource/tool audit during FY 2009
  (whos using which tools and how)
• Combine/streamline tools
• Divest in non-effective ones
• Deliver tools more efficiently
• Develop evaluation methods

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Training and Cooperation

• Working with the Federal Acquisition Institute
  (FAI) to include BioPreferred in acquisition
  training Spoke at FAI procurement seminars
• Working with the Department of Defense and the
  Defense Logistics Agency to ensure all DoD
  procurement officials receive BioPreferred
  awareness and procurement training
• Provided training to GSA procurement personnel on
  BioPreferred contracting, including mini-training
  sessions on-site
• Trained the Department of Treasury on including
  BioPreferred in all contracts Working with
  Treasury on their upcoming rebid of
  enterprise-wide janitorial and food service
  contracts

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USDA Implementation Strategy
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USDA Walking the Walk

• USDA Green Purchasing Plan (GPAPP)
• USDA Advantage
• USDA biobased product use
• Green Bottle spring waterin cafeteria
• BioGreen fertilizer appliedto Whitten Building
  lawn
• Biobased roof coatingon WV ARS facility

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USDA Walking the Walk Outreach

• Federal
• Federal Environmental Symposia (East and West)
  June
• GSA SmartPay (Biobased product procurement via
  government charge cards) July
• GovEnergy Aug
• Industry
• NPE (International plastics showcase) June
• BIO World Congress July
• BioPolymers Symposium Sept

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BioPreferred 2009 Timeline
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BioPreferred 2010 Milestones

• Finalize labeling rule and initiate labeling
  program
• Augment item designation Rounds 8 - 12
• Revise program guidelines
• Continue outreach and training

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Revising Program Guidelines

• Re-examine existing testing and evaluation
  processes for item designation
• Include designation of intermediates and
  feedstocks
• Address designation of complex products such as
  automobiles
• Replace "item" with a more accurate term such as
  "product category"

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Designating Intermediates/Feedstocks Farm Bill
Requirements

• Designate intermediate ingredients and feedstocks
  used to produce items subject to Federal
  procurement preference
• Automatically designate items composed of
  intermediate ingredients and feedstocks
• If content of designated intermediate ingredients
  and feedstocks exceeds 50 of item
• Unless Secretary determines different percentage
  is appropriate

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Biobased Intermediates/Feedstocks
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Designating Complex Products

• Complex products are those with multiple
  components (ex automobiles, office furniture,
  mattresses)
• Currently there are no approved testing methods
  for determining biobased content of complex
  products
• Revised guidelines will need to await approved
  testing methods or determine decision rules for
  designating complex products based on testing
  individual components

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Automobile Biobased Components
Source Ford Motor Company
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For Further Information

• Jeff Goodman, Departmental Administration,
  Environmental Management Division
  jeffrey.goodman_at_da.usda.gov, ( 202) 401-4747
• Ron Buckhalt, Departmental Administration,
  Environmental Management Division
  ronb.buckhalt_at_da.usda.gov, [phone]
• Steve Devlin, Iowa State University,
  sdevlin_at_iastate.edu, [phone]
• Website http//www.biopreferred.gov

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